????comb color on layers???

[momofdrew]

I read some where here that the girls combs go red when they are ready to lay????... my silkie girls don't have combs or wattles yet that I can see... they are almost 6 months old...

 

[peepsnbunnies]

Silkies are a little bit different. With their black skin you will not be able to see red. Silkie hens typically have a small comb and the bearded ones usually have real tiny wattles. The non-bearded ones usually have small wattles.

My silkie hens have started laying anywhere from 6 months to 8 months of age.

 

[momofdrew]

Thanks peepsnbunnies

I am so hoping that they start to lay before winter sets in...I know silkies aren't the best layers but I am really looking forward to that first egg...

should I start putting a light on in the coop so they will lay before spring???

 

[peepsnbunnies]

I am not sure about the light. I live in FL and all my chickies lay year round. You can try letting them go a little longer and see if they will start laying and if they don't you can try a light then. Is it getting real cold there yet?

Lisa

 

[Omran]

I recently read about the variety of combs in the Murray McMurray Hatchery catalog/magazine. There are at least 6 types of combs they did picture it on page 6 of the 2008 catalog. But I'm not sure about what the size and color does mean. I have some hens with large red combs that are not laying yet. One with a large red comb is laying, but the others are not. The hen with the largest comb hasn't even started laying any eggs yet. Then one RIR hen with a small-to-medium light red comb is already laying for almost a week now. I'm still trying to find more info myself. Good luck with your hens.


Omran.

 

[momofdrew]

peepsnbunnies


Night time temps are around 40...